JK Rowling slammed for liking transphobic tweets on Twitter

20 May 2020, 11:54

Daniel Radcliffe reads the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

By Sam Prance

The Harry Potter author is also coming under fire for following numerous transphobic hate groups and people.

J.K. Rowling is being criticised for her transphobia after fans realised that she's been liking many offensive tweets on Twitter.

J.K. Rowling has a history with transphobia. In 2017, the author liked a tweet that linked to a transphobic Medium piece and, in 2018, she liked a tweet which called trans women “men in dresses”. Last year (Dec 18), the author faced huge backlash after she tweeted in support of Maya Forstater, a tax expert, who was fired from her job for misgendering trans people.

READ MORE: J.K. Rowling is being called “transphobic” for defending Maya Forstater

Now, people have spotted J.K. liking even more transphobic tweets and following multiple transphobic people on Twitter.

On Sunday (May 17), @sineadactually tweeted: "so does JK Rowling just exclusively follow anti-trans activists these days or what? here are her last 6 follows" alongside a screenshot proving J.K. has recently followed trans hate groups including the LGB Alliance and transphobic journalists such as Helen Joyce on Twitter. The sad news quickly sparked outrage online.

@sineadactually then exposed that J.K. has also been liking a lot of transphobic tweets lately too. She liked one of Helen Joyce's tweets in which she said: "Bored of lockdown. Lonely. Trying to focus on the sunshine, and the fact that most people don't need convincing that humans come in two, and only two, immutable sexes".

It looks like JK Rowling has since unliked the tweet since the screenshots circulated. PinkNews reported at the time that Rowling had liked the tweet. However, she still follows all of the accounts in the screenshot as of the time of writing.

People then found more evidence of J.K. being transphobic and started calling her out. One person wrote: "JK Rowling going out of her way to follow hardline UK TERF groups & individuals on International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia + is honestly really, really distressing. That's hardcore hatemongering."

Harry Potter fans also tweeted their disappointment. One person wrote: "I can’t believe JK Rowling wrote the words “It matters not what someone is born but what they grow to be.” but is still transphobic..."

As it stands, J.K. is yet to address the backlash. We shall update you if she does.